1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to devices for detecting when a medical patient rises from a wheelchair or a bed and sounding an alarm to notify caregivers who may not be in the room. More specifically, but without limitation thereto, the present invention is directed to a movement monitor that integrates an alarm with a sensor pad.
2. Description of Related Art
Medical patients who are confined to a wheelchair or a bed may attempt to stand and walk without assistance from their wheelchair or bed, resulting in falls that may result in serious injury and even death if not immediately treated. In previous devices that address this problem, a sensing device (or sensor pad) is placed on the wheelchair or bed where the patient's body rests. The sensor pad is typically attached by several feet of wire to an alarm box placed nearby that sounds an alarm when the patient's weight is removed from the sensor pad.